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Head hunters calling


maggie

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This would really be applicable to the savory side chefs, too, but I just have to get this out there, and I know it must be happening all the time to sweet-side folks like us.

They call me at work, and tell me about new jobs and blahblahblah, and when I tell them no, I have a great job, they ask me if I know anyone else and I say no, and they say (okay, it was this one guy yesterday, but he really pissed me off!) "You don't know anyone?" I hung up on him. But it was his second call in a week, and there have been others. I guess I should be flattered that they think it's worth their while to call little old me, but I just think it's incredibly rude to call people at their jobs, on their employers' phones and ask them if they'd like another job.

They're aggressive little buggers, and I guess they have to be, to be in their line of business, and maybe one could say, how else are they going to contact someone, but I just don't like it.

I guess that's why we call them headhunters..

How do you feel about this?

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All part of the game. The good ones are those who tell you that they'd like to speak with you about an opportunity and then ask whether you have time outside of work to do so.

My personal favorite from the flip side: there was one headhunter who described a job that I did find interesting, but she went on to tell me that she didn't think I was a suitable candidate but that she had heard that I knew of some.

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Well, I think it's flattering that someone searches you out to offer you a job. Head hunters are in every field, not just the food industry. Where I work, the receptionist won't pass calls to people who only ask for titles, not personal names of people, which is one way around it, but I don't think there are too many receptionists at bakeries et al... :wink:

I would just keep saying no thanks and hanging up. And as you mentionned, where else are these hunters supposed to find potential people who are looking for another job? I'm sure you would be much more irritated if they were calling you at home, no? And it's great that you are happy in your job, but there must be people who are not and would jump at an opportunity of a job falling into their lap.

Don't waste your time or time will waste you - Muse

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...My personal favorite from the flip side: there was one headhunter who described a job that I did find interesting, but she went on to tell me that she didn't think I was a suitable candidate but that she had heard that I knew of some.

Ouch ouch ouch, my poor aching ego :laugh::laugh: The nerve!

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I had this happening to me this summer. Unfortunately, it wasn't a neutral third party --- a former employer who had treated me quite badly kept coming in to my work to ask me to help him out. He had screwed over the person who replaced me, and it blew up in his face. He came in to my work twice when I was on shift, and sent someone else in a third time to ask me.....while my boss was standing about 4 feet away from me!

I was pretty upset about it because I am happy in my current job and didn't want my current boss to get the idea that I'm looking for work. I haven't even updated my resume in the 3 years I've worked there. I thought it was really unprofessional for him to come in and approach me at work.

If only I'd worn looser pants....

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I had this happening to me this summer.  Unfortunately, it wasn't a neutral third party --- a former employer who had treated me quite badly kept coming in to my work to ask me to help him out.  He had screwed over the person who replaced me, and it blew up in his face.  He came in to my work twice when I was on shift, and sent someone else in a third time to ask me.....while my boss was standing about 4 feet away from me!

I was pretty upset about it because I am happy in my current job and didn't want my current boss to get the idea that I'm looking for work.  I haven't  even updated my resume in the 3 years I've worked there.  I thought it was really unprofessional for him to come in and approach me at work.

Yes, yes incredibly poor taste, three times?! Not to mention a great time to ask for a raise. :raz: Just teasing. No that really does 'take the cake'. Stuff like that makes employers very very twitchy. They develop tics.

I once said to a co-worker who was supposed to be training me but had me on the rack squeezing the stuffings out of me, I said one time, "I'm going to look for another job, if we can't... blablabla." I got fired before lunch. I apparently was in no position to deliver ultimatums yah think??

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On being short with headhunters -- don't forget the Murphy-thing that when/if you want to start looking to move, you will want to be on the good side of those very headhunters!

Careful who you piss off... you might being doing business with them some day!

Edited by Carolyn Tillie (log)
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As someone above said, these calls happen in every industry and they happen at work. A good headhunter will as you if there is a convenient time to talk and will take verbal cues as to whether you want to talk later or not. They know there is a good likelihood that someone may be standing too close. Don't tick them off -- they may be needed some day.

Where I used to work, you could tell when a headhunter was "doing the rounds" because a series of phones would ring. One person would hang up, and the next person's (alphabetically) would ring. No one there put off the call...

As for the former employer physically coming to work -- WHAT NERVE! Totally inappropriate!

Cheryl, The Sweet Side
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Well, yeah, it certainly did occur to me that I shouldn't be pissing this guy off, but he was very aggressive. I sure do hope I don't have to depend on him, or those like him in the future. I've never had one offer to call later at a better time or another number. They've pretty much all been like the most recent guy: I've got a job, do you want it? Do you know anyone who does? I just wonder at the etiquette. Who would want to talk over a possible future job at their present job? If I caught one of my employees doing it, I'd be angry.

Anyway, I was just wondering how others felt about it, what they've done to handle it.

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